System set to transform admissions
Preparations are underway to launch the first phase of a new, simplified student admissions process.
The launch will be a major step towards transforming the way we build and maintain relationships with prospective, current and former students.
The new system supporting admissions (Microsoft Dynamics CRM) will go live for postgraduate taught applications and admissions in September, and next year it will come on stream for postgraduate research applications and undergraduates.
A video featuring Professor Vivien Jones, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Student Education, and Dr Luke Windsor, Pro-Dean for Student Education in the Faculty of Performance, Visual Arts and Communications, explains more about the preparations for the launch and the benefits of the new system.
“The CRM will give our applicants a simpler, swifter process that’s consistent right across the University’s nine faculties,” says Professor Jones. “It will help us to keep in touch with prospective students, and send them relevant, timely information to help them make an informed decision about where they would like to study – which of course we hope will be Leeds.
“An underpinning principle of the Student Education Service (SES) is to give an equitable experience to all our students and the implementation of the CRM is fundamental in helping us do that. Eventually, it will allow us to manage our relationship with students from their first contact with us, through their learning journey, and even after they graduate and become alumni. Whether it’s prospective students, existing students, or alumni contacting us, they’ll all experience the same online interface.”
During the coming months, training will be given to support Student Education Service and academic staff, familiarising them with the system in readiness for processing next year’s postgraduate taught applications. Implementation teams in each Faculty are also meeting frequently to work out exactly how the system can be introduced as smoothly as possible.
“It’s a big, complex project and staff from across the University have already put in a lot of hard work and energy because they can see the benefits of having a much more straightforward, effective way of managing applications,” says Dr Luke Windsor. “We recognise that it’s a new system and a new way of working, so we’re making sure that excellent training and ongoing support is available for our staff before, during and after we go live. We’ll also be giving colleagues regular updates to explain what’s happening and keep them informed.”
Posted in: Student education